


Sniffles and Snuggles

by scarletmanuka



Series: The Centenarian, The Teen, and The One In Between [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Mother Hen Bucky Barnes, Multi, OT3, Precious Peter Parker, Sick Tony, They're so sweet that it's sickening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 07:43:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14732817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletmanuka/pseuds/scarletmanuka
Summary: Tony isn't well and Bucky and Peter take care of him. Pure domestic fluff.





	Sniffles and Snuggles

**Author's Note:**

> This is a follow up to Tangled Webs of Redemption but can probably be read by itself if you wanna dip your toes into this IronWinterSpider ship :)

Bucky stood in the doorway of the darkened bedroom, arms crossed over his broad chest as he watched Tony sleep. He’d placed a little trash can next to the bed earlier but already the mountain of used tissues had spilled over and onto the floor, and even now, Tony had one clasped loosely in his hand. The genius was breathing heavily - wet, bubbly half-snores, and he’d partially kicked the blankets off his legs. He’d been alternating between feeling cold and hot as his fever had spiked and Bucky was never quite sure if he should cover him back up or allow him to cool off. He’d feel much better if Tony would allow them to call in a doctor, but he’d been adamant that he didn't want to see one.

The genius had started coming down with something several days ago. Bucky had noticed he was massaging his neck a little, and his voice was a little raspy when he spoke, but when he asked if anything was wrong, Tony had just waved him off. Thanks to being a super soldier, Bucky never got sick but back in the day, Steve had always been sickly so he had quite a bit of experience in recognising when someone was ill but were stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it. The last thing Bucky wanted to do was associate anything to do with his ex-best friend with Tony but he had to admit that in this case at least, it was a good thing.

Tony may not have acknowledged he was getting sick, but that didn't stop Bucky from putting plans into motion. He colluded with Friday to ensure that there was an adequate supply of Tylenol, ibuprofen, throat lozenges, gel packs, VapoRub, and other supplies in the Tower and then recruited Peter to the cause. The teen managed to convince his aunt that he had a really big project to work on and got permission to not only stay his usual Friday night but also Saturday night as well. By the time he arrived at the Tower after school on Friday, Tony’s symptoms had progressed to headaches, a runny nose, and an intermittent cough and he was sick enough to actually admit that he was under the weather.

The poor man was miserable but not as bad a patient as Bucky would have guessed. He didn’t get grumpy and demanding, instead he seemed to retreat inwards, becoming quiet and withdrawn as he internalised his suffering. His two partners rallied around him, making sure he drank enough fluids to stay hydrated, rubbed the VapoRub into his chest, gave him gentle massages, and snuggled with him on the couch.

It was during the night that Friday woke them to advise that Tony had developed a fever. Bucky and Peter were still wrapped in each other’s arms, but Tony had migrated across the large bed they all shared when the three of them were together. He’d asked Friday to turn the lights on low and in the dim lighting he could see the sheen of sweat that covered Tony’s entire body and his skin was hot to the touch. He’d wanted to get the ill genius into an ice bath to try and break his fever but Friday had advised that this was no longer considered safe, and instead he and Peter had wiped over Tony’s skin with cool, damp cloths and had given him ice chips to suck on since his throat was too sore to drink much.

It had been more scary than Bucky had thought it could be and even now, as he stood vigil over his lover, he was reminded of just how fragile Tony was. Peter had told him that since he’d developed his powers, he’d not been sick once - something common when it came to the enhanced. Tony though was entirely human, and although this made his heroic feats as Iron Man all the more impressive, it unfortunately left him susceptible to human ailments. And there wasn’t a damn thing Bucky could do about it - except mother hen the fuck out of him whenever he fell ill.

Arms slipped around Bucky’s waist from behind and he tangled his flesh fingers together with Peter’s, resting their joined hands on his stomach. “How is he?” the teen asked softly, not tall enough to rest his head on the ex-assassin’s shoulder so he just pressed his face against one of his biceps.

“Doing a little better, I think. Friday? What’s his temp now?”

“Boss’s core body temperature has fallen to 102.8,” she advised them, her Irish lilt much more pronounced, something Bucky had discovered was a sign of how worried she was. “It’s come down significantly from last night but he still has a fever.”

Scrubbing his metal hand across his face, he let out a long sigh. “I feel so fuckin’ useless.”

Peter just hugged him harder. “It’s just a cold, Bucky - he’ll feel like he wants to die, but he won’t.”

“I know, doll, but it’s just so hard to see him like this.”

“I know, it’s hard for me too. He’s finally resting now though, so how about we take five? I’ve made you some coffee and you should probably eat something.”

“I don’t wanna leave him alone.”

“He’s not alone - Friday’s with him. She’ll let us know the minute he wakes.”

“I certainly will, Peter,” she confirmed. “I would appreciate if you had something to eat, Bucky. You need to keep up your strength and I’m finding it difficult enough as it is to worry about Boss - I will have to write more code if I am to worry about you as well.”

“Sorry, Fri,” he apologised, still finding it hard to accept some days just how life-like the AI was. Tony had explained numerous times that her learning software was limitless and she would continue to intellectually and emotionally grow and develop much like a human, but it was times like this that really hammered it home.

“Don’t worry, Friday - I’ll take care of him,” Peter assured her.

“While I’m grateful, Peter, just who exactly will take care of _you_?” she asked.

The teen laughed quietly. “Funnily enough, I’m more than capable of looking after myself.” He tugged on Bucky’s hand, drawing him away from the room. “Come on, let’s go get you fed.”

Bucky managed to eat a piece of toast and downed two cups of coffee as he sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. He watched as Peter pulled out various items from the fridge and cupboards, setting them out on the bench top. “Whatcha making?”

“I thought _we_ could make Tony some soup for lunch,” the teen told him. “Chicken soup is supposed to be good for when you’re sick.”

“Have you ever made soup before?”

“Well, no - but how hard can it be? The recipe online looks simple enough.”

Bucky was placed in charge of dicing the vegetables since they’d discovered his skills with a knife transcended murder, and without fail he always chopped them into perfectly sized cubes. Peter gathered the rest of the ingredients, frowning as he perused the spice rack. “Hmmm, we don’t have everything they say we need,” he muttered, then crossed back to the Stark-Pad he’d brought the recipe up on. He opened a new browser window and Googled what could be used instead of the missing ingredients so no one would need to run to the shop.

It wasn’t long before the two of them had placed everything into a large pot and set it on top of the stove. “So we gotta bring it to the boil now,” Peter said as he read the final instruction, “and then it just simmers for a couple of hours.”

Bucky went to check once more on Tony while Peter watched the soup, and then he met the teen back in the lounge room and they fell together onto the couch. “You look tired, doll,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to Peter’s temple as he held him close.

“m’fine,” Peter assured him.

“You getting enough sleep?”

“Yeah, I’ve not been staying out too late,” he promised.

“Let me know if you need me out covering for you some more.” To ensure that the bad guys didn't get used to a set schedule of when Spider-Man was out on his patrols, he’d been heading out with Bucky every now and then on nights set aside for the internship, and Bucky picked up the patrols on his behalf while Peter spent some alone time with Tony on other nights. He wasn’t as well loved as the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, but it was becoming known that the war hero, Bucky Barnes kept an eye out for the little guy as well.

“I’m coping fine, Buck but I promise to let you know if I need a break.”

All three of them were stubborn over certain things so that was the best Bucky was going to get. The teen may have assured Friday that he could take care of himself, but Bucky knew it wouldn’t hurt if he took it upon himself to look after him too. He nodded and then cupped the back of Peter’s neck and drew him in for a sweet kiss, still amazed at how he’d gotten so damn lucky.

It had been a couple of months now since Christmas and their unconventional threeway relationship was only going from strength to strength. Sure, they had their disagreements, and having to keep a tight lid on it so it remained a secret was trying at times, but their personalities meshed well, and they didn’t spend enough time together to ever get on each other’s nerves. Peter had school and his patrols, Tony had not only Iron Man but Stark Industries to think about, and Bucky had recently graduated to a fully fledged Avenger with one of his roles being to train the other Avengers in hand to hand combat when they didn’t have a mission. Rhodes had also expressed an interest in the ex-assassin adding sniping to his training repertoire after Bucky had casually demonstrated his skills on the last mission, which would add to his responsibilities. As much as they would all like to spend every waking moment together, they didn’t, which had the added benefit of making them cherish the moments that they _did_ get together.

The kiss lengthened and soon turned into a full-on makeout session, much to Bucky’s delight. They’d all agreed early on that while it was allowed for any variation of couples to get intimate while the third wasn’t around, it didn't happen as often as the opportunities presented themselves.The trio just all seemed to come to independent conclusions that it was much more fun when they were all together, and so it rarely escalated past kissing and dry humping when it was only two of them. The ex-assassin had no qualms at all about this since he found the more vanilla interactions extremely enjoyable. Perhaps it was having had so little intimacy of any kind for over seventy years, but just being close with his lovers, kissing and cuddling with them made him connect with them on a much deeper level than sex ever did. If that made Bucky a sap, well, he’d wear that label with pride.

They were interrupted some time later by Friday, announcing that Tony was awake. “He told me to inform you that he is tired of his bed and is coming to you so don’t bother heading to the bedroom,” she added.

Almost as soon as the AI had finished speaking, there was a shuffling from the hallway and soon Tony appeared in the doorway. He had one of the thick fleece blankets from the bed wrapped around his shoulders, but was naked underneath apart from a pair of boxers, and his hair was sticking up in every direction. His face was pale beneath his goatee, and dark bags highlighted his eyes, and his nose was almost as red as Rudolph’s. He looked exhausted and miserable and as soon as both of his partners held out their arms in invitation, he hurried across to the couch to be pulled down between them.

Bucky maneuvered him so that Tony was leaning against his chest and Peter pulled Tony’s feet up onto his lap and began kneading them. “Fuck, Petey, that’s so good,” Tony rasped in his snuffly voice.

“Feeling any better?” Bucky murmured as he tucked the blanket in tight around the man in his arms.

“Maybe a little,” the genius admitted.

“Hopefully we’ll have you back on your feet in no time.”

“Hope so,” he said in a rather pathetic whine, “I hate being sick. I’m over this bed rest crap.”

Bucky kept his thoughts to himself, of how scared he’d been, how vulnerable he’d realised his lover was. Tony wouldn’t appreciate it and all it would do would make him feel even worse than he currently did.

“Just give yourself time to get better,” Peter told him. “There’s no point in rushing back into things before you’re all the way better, otherwise you’ll just end up sick again.”

“But I _hate_ not being productive,” the genius complained.

“And we hate not being able to ravish you, doll,” Bucky told him, hoping to appeal to his libido. “The longer you’re sick, the longer till we can have some sexy, fun times again.”

“Aww, you know how much I love sexy, fun times,” Tony said with a pout.

“Then be a good boy and let us take care of you so we can have them again soon.”

“You know I suck at being a good boy - that’s Petey’s forte.”

“Then make sure you do as you’re told,” Peter said to him, his voice dropping a little, “and I promise I’ll drop to my knees and suck you off like your perfect, little boy.”

“Dammit, baby,” Tony said with a heavy sigh, his head dropping back against Bucky’s chest and his eyes falling closed. “You know I hate how much of a turn on you saying stuff like that is despite it also being as creepy as fuck given our age differences.”

The teen smirked and Bucky could see he was rubbing Tony’s foot over the rather obvious bulge in his pants. “Does it matter how creepy it is if it turns you on?”

“Yes, yes it does!” Tony protested. “Let’s agree that you’re never to address yourself as a ‘good boy’ ever again.”

“Whatever - you know you’ll still be thinking it when I have my mouth wrapped around your cock.”

Bucky kicked out his foot to whack against Peter’s ribs. “Cut it out, doll,” he chided. “You’re just going to give us _all_ a case of blue balls and that ain’t fun.”

“You know that just because _I’m_ not up for anything, doesn't mean _you two_ can’t,” Tony told them pointedly.

“You know s’no fun without you, sweetheart,” Bucky said.

“Oi!” Peter protested.

“You know what I mean. You know I don't like it when someone misses out.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the teen grumbled but there was a smile on his lips which showed Bucky he wasn’t at all offended.

“”I’m cold,” Tony said suddenly, holding a hand out to Peter. “Come cuddle with me?”

The teen was more than happy to cuddle and he climbed up the couch as Tony held the blanket open for him. Since the blanket was wrapped all the way around the genius, Bucky couldn’t join them under it but he wrapped his arms around both of them, making sure Tony was surrounded by the warmth of both enhanced partners. After a while, it became obvious that both of them had fallen into a doze and the super soldier was happy that they were _both_ resting. Peter may have said he was fine, but he couldn’t hide the exhaustion from the trained eyes of the ex-assassin so a nap was just what the non-existent doctor ordered. Bucky was more than content to lie there, their weight on top of him, completely surrounded by the two men he was most definitely falling in love with.

The super soldier had been in no hurry to declare his love for his partners, happy to sit back and allow that sweet, warm feeling of contentedness to grow within him. Peter and Tony had been in love with each other _before_ anything had happened and so it had been extra special when they had finally voiced their feelings. Bucky hadn't felt excluded in any way - he’d been over the moon for his lovers, and their happiness had always included him as well. He also knew that if he had said the magic words when he’d first realised how deep his feelings ran for the two geniuses, they would have been overjoyed, but he had held back, not wanting to rush. It wasn't that he thought that his own declaration would diminish anything between the two of them, but Bucky almost enjoyed watching them from the outside. It was hard to explain, even in his own head, but he was enjoying the anticipation, the slow stoking of the the flames that he knew was building to an inferno. It was like one of the fancy meals that Tony loved to take them to under the guise of ‘internship accomplishment celebrations’ - Bucky would savour each course, appreciating the subtle flavours and nuances of the food, but knowing that at the end there would be Sticky Date pudding. The pudding was always the best part, but if he had that first, then he wouldn’t enjoy the rest of the meal anywhere near as much.

His rambling food metaphor thoughts were brought to a halt by an epic coughing fit of Tony’s that startled Peter awake as well. The teen leapt up from the couch and hurried off to get a glass of water for the genius while Bucky rubbed soothing circles into his back, feeling the muscles heave and contract as he fought to stop the spasms of his throat. It was still a dry cough - annoying and uncomfortable for sure, but not as alarming as it would be if his lungs were filled with gunk. As soon as the cough turned wet and phlegmy, Bucky would override Tony’s preferences and have Friday call in a doctor. He was happy to play the villain if it was his lover’s health on the line.

The teen was back to hand over the water but he soon disappeared again, only to return with a tray laden down with three bowls of soup. He was blushing prettily as he handed out the bowls, trying to avoid eye contact with Tony. “You made me soup?” the genius asked, his raspy voice sounding torn between surprised and pleased as he moved away from Bucky’s chest to sit more comfortably to eat.

Peter shrugged as he took a seat on the end of the couch. “I thought it might help.”

“Awww, fuck I love you, Petey.”

“Bucky helped - it wasn’t all me.”

Tony peered into his bowl. “I should have known - I could measure these carrots with an angle ruler and they’d be exact.” He grinned over at Bucky and then reached out to squeeze his knee. “You’re the best, babe.”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.”

“Anything?” Tony asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Bucky laughed, the red nose and chapped lips of his partner - whilst always adorable - weren’t exactly the sexiest thing in the world. “As soon as you’re better, anything you want.”

Tony pouted. “No fair. Stupid cockblocking cold virus.”

“Maybe you can make a wish list and once you’re better, we can make each of them come true?”

Warm brown eyes widened almost comically. “Really? You’ll play out _all_ my fantasies?”

Bucky shrugged and nodded. “Sure thing, sweetheart, s’long as they don’t get us arrested, I’ve got an open mind.”

Tony turned to Peter and the teen was blushing so red it wasn’t funny. “What about you, baby?”

The teen cleared his throat and said, “You gotta know that if it involves you and Bucky naked, I’m game. I, uh, might not be very _good_ at whatever you want to do, but I’ll try for you, Tony.”

“Oh, but you’re always such a _good boy_ for me, Petey,” Tony cooed.

Bucky snorted. “Yeah, I can see _that_ rule lasted all of five seconds.”

Tony shrugged. “I guess it’s just the truth.”

Instead of answering, Peter lifted a spoonful of soup to his lips, obviously thinking that having his mouth full would stop him from having to reply. Unfortunately his mouth wasn’t full for long. His nose crinkled adorably and he suddenly spat the soup back into the bowl. “Urgh! This is terrible!” he spluttered, reaching out and stealing a gulp of water from the glass he’d brought in for their patient. He rinsed the water around in his mouth, swallowing away the taste. “Do _not_ eat that,” he warned the others. “Seriously, it’s awful!”

“I’m sure it’s not so bad,” Tony said, bravely taking a sip of the soup. He grimaced as he forcefully swallowed his mouthful and then nodded, “Yeah, no, you’re right - that’s fucking horrible.”

“I’m so sorry,” Peter said, standing up so he could collect the bowls. “I guess there really wasn’t a good substitute for the missing spices.” He gave a rueful little smile and Bucky had the strong desire to kiss it off his lips. “I’ll go make us something else.”

“Just order something in, baby,” Tony told him, waving a hand tiredly over at the drawer they kept the takeout menus in before moving back over and pressing himself close against Bucky’s chest.  “Then come back and snuggle with us. Snuggles are good for the soul _and_ for making me feel better - though only when it’s you two that I’m getting them from.”

The teen bent down and pressed a kiss to the sick genius’ temple. “Doctor Bucky and I are more than happy to help you get better.”

“Oooh,” Tony cried, “add that to the list, Buckaroo! We gotta play doctors when I’m better.”

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Bucky promised. “Pretty sure we’re all due for prostate exams anyway.”

Peter sniggered at this and Tony battered gently at Bucky’s chest, mumbling a soft, “Cheeky, bastard,” to him.

“Right, what does everyone want for lunch?” the teen asked as he set the tray of horrible soup on the coffee table and pulled out the menus.

Bucky’s heart swelled in his chest as he took in both of his lovers and said, “ I don't know about you, but I have a real craving for Sticky Date Pudding.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Moodboard for this installment found on my [Tumblr](https://scarletmanuka1.tumblr.com/image/175414095156)


End file.
